In the late afternoon of a Wednesday in November, the quiet of the American Inn in North Kansas City was shattered by the sound of gunfire. On that day, November 13, 2019, 28-year-old Jacob Ryan Roberson was found shot multiple times in a room at the hotel on Armour Road. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The initial investigation by North Kansas City police quickly escalated, and the Metropolitan Area Major Case Squad was activated to handle the homicide.
The investigation revealed a
harrowing story. Surveillance footage from the hotel captured a maroon SUV entering the parking lot, from which three males and one female exited. The group gained access to a secured area of the hotel and proceeded towards Roberson's room. A short time later, several individuals were seen fleeing the area. Tragically, a stray bullet from the incident penetrated an adjacent hotel room, grazing another guest, who fortunately sustained only a minor injury.
The focus of the investigation soon turned to 27-year-old Zachary B. Gifford of Platte City. According to court documents, Gifford confessed to family members that he had been in a physical altercation with Roberson. He claimed that after Roberson pulled out a gun, he drew his own and shot him. Gifford reportedly admitted to shooting Roberson a second time as he rolled over, and a third time as he was leaving the room. One family member told police that Gifford showed no remorse and seemed to be treating the fatal shooting as if it were a game.
Following the shooting, Gifford and his girlfriend fled the Kansas City area. He informed family that he was heading to Chillicothe, Missouri, and would likely continue north. Law enforcement tracked him to Ottumwa, Iowa, where he was apprehended. The Clay County prosecutor's office charged Zachary B. Gifford with second-degree murder and armed criminal action. He was held on a $1 million bond.
